7 ways to greenify your urban lifestyle in Atlanta.

7 Ways to Greenify Your Urban Lifestyle

Incorporating eco-friendly habits into your everyday life is becoming increasingly important these days. One might assume living in a growing city like Atlanta would make this easier, but as you know the fast pace urban lifestyle isn’t conducive to change. Additionally, pondering the current health of the environment can be depressing if you think about the surplus of pollution being created daily by people living in concrete jungles across the globe.

One may think recycling is the only way to be environmentally conscientious, but it is merely the tip of the iceberg.There are countless ways to reduce your carbon footprint without adding to an already hectic daily schedule!

Here are 7 ways to greenify your urban lifestyle in Atlanta.

· Adapt a more simplistic lifestyle

Ever think of downsizing your home? The less things you have, the easier it becomes to be green (not to mention you can recycle old stuff you no longer need). Start with something small like cutting back on frivolous spending. From there, you can graduate to letting go of things you don’t need and make an effort to purchase items that can be reused for multiple purposes.

For the items that you can get rid of, don’t assume they can be thrown in your everyday trash. For example, when cutting down on kitchen items consider how the item can either be donated, sold, recycled, or reused. If you don’t want to think about it, use a service that sorts and hauls your unwanted clutterfor you.

· Eliminate plastic bags

Plastic takes hundreds of years to break down and when placed in a landfill emits toxic chemicals, yet we still choose plastic bags for sheer convenience (though more and more local governments are passing bans on single use plastic bags!!). When shopping, say no to plastic bags and invest in a few reusable shopping bags instead. Reusable shopping bags are an inexpensive eco-friendly alternative to “disposable” plastic bags.

Do you also use plastic zipper storage bags to pack your lunch? If so, opt for Bio Bags, reusable silicone bags or sealable glass containers. There are even reusable eating utensilsout there that are perfect for a work lunch or small parties.

· Buy local

Buying local is a great way to support regional farmers, as it provides economic opportunities and helps reduce the environmental impact of the agricultural market. Produce grown non-locally had to be transported to the grocery store from somewhere further away, thus contributing to greater carbon emissions.

Additionally, when you buy local, you are helping to preserve smaller farm land that otherwise would have been used for industry and commercial purposes. These lands allow nearby wildlife to prosper without having to worry about industrial disruptions which would most likely result in a loss of wildlife habitats. Farmer’s marketspromote sustainability and are a very important part of the community.

· Support local businesses

Just like farmer’s markets, supporting local businesses that offer sustainable business practices both helps the community and reduces your footprint. Typically, local retailers contribute to the local economy and are in tune with the culture, history, and interests. Keep Atlanta’s interests at its roots and support local business.

· Use alternative transportation

Those living in the heart of Atlanta know the horrors that can come with owning a car in such a large city. On top of regular maintenance fees and gas, you also have the privilege of paying for a parking spot everywhere you go. Not only does this get expensive, it’s also detrimental to the Atlanta’s air quality. With Atlanta currently being the 22nd state on the list of the most particle polluted citiesin the United States, residents can’t afford to take their impact lightly. To do your part use alternative modes of transportation, such as biking, walking, or taking public transportation.

· Try growing your own plants

In the city, you don’t have acres of land at your disposal; however, you’d be surprised what you can grow inside an apartment. Herbs are a very popular choice for novice gardeners, as it not only provides you with fresh herbs to cook with, but it also gives your apartment a lovely touch of green.

Indoor plants not only positively impact the environment, but your health as well! Adding plant life to your home can decrease stress and create a sense of well-being. They also help the air quality by reducing levels of carbon dioxide, certain air pollutants, and airborne dust, while increasing humidity, keeping air temperatures down, and producing more oxygen.

For those with a green thumb, join a local community gardenwhere you can garden your own fruit and vegetables. Some community gardens even have space for group composting.

· Compost

Composting is a great way to dispose of your food scraps rather than just throwing everything away. More cities are starting to set out a separate bin just for composting that is collected like your trash and recycle.

Although Atlanta has yet to reach this stage, it shouldn’t stop you from doing your part. Composting your food scraps and other biodegradable household materials can be transformed into soil. This is especially useful when growing your own plants and produce. To be mindful of your housing space, use a small kitchen binas a short term solution for composting. Then create a place on your balcony for the rest of the process to be handled. As city living usually equates to smaller living spaces, use this guide to composting in small apartments.

Adapting your lifestyle to serve the environment first can be a difficult task but even the smallest of changes can have an halo effect on those around you.Again, start small and find a way to motivate yourself; whether it’s for the love of your city (In my case, Atlanta), your children, future generations, etc..If you are living eco-friendly as most of you reading this are; grow your efforts to pick up the slack of someone who isn’t conscious of our precious planet!

Special thanks to our guest author Haley Kieser for writing this informative piece!